SOUTHERN LEYTE – Six trainings on corn and cassava production have recently concluded in the province of Southern Leyte, enriching the minds of the farmer-beneficiaries from five municipalities – Bontoc, Malitbog, Tomas Oppu, Sogod, and Liloan.

With the help of Corn and Cassava specialists from Agricultural Program Coordinating Office (APCO), representatives from Provincial Agricultural Services Office (PAgSO) and Office of Municipal Agriculturist (OMA), the trainings were simultaneously conducted on the following dates below:

DATE

ACTIVITY

VENUE

FARMER ATTENDEES

May 2-3, 2018

Corn Production Training

Olayvar’s Place, Bontoc, So. Leyte

Bontoc

May 7-8, 2018

Corn Production Training

Diagnostic Center, Malitbog, So. Leyte

Malitbog

May 9-10, 2018

Corn Production Training

ABC Hall, Tomas Oppus, So. Leyte

Tomas Oppu

May 2-3, 2018

Cassava Production Training

ABC Hall, Bontoc, So. Leyte

T.Oppus and Bontoc

May 7-8, 2018

Cassava Production Training

Marianne Family Center, Sogod, So. Leyte

Sogod

May 9-10, 2018

Cassava Production Training

Marianne Family Center, Sogod, So. Leyte

Malitbog & Liloan

Only at least 80% of the total 360 beneficiaries attended the training due to financial and transportation issues. Making sure that all beneficiaries are up-to-date with latest technology and planting strategies, SAAD Provincial Coordinator Jocelyn Cabañas said that they will still conduct training on-site for those who weren’t able to join the classroom training.

Cabañas also stressed the importance of the training as she found out the wrong practices of the farmers, especially in planting cassava. She added, “they need to know the correct ratio of fertilizers to be applied to maximize the production potential of the soil and seeds.”

Corn and cassava SAAD beneficiaries from Southern Leyte will receive cassava planting materials, open-pollinated variety and hybrid corn seeds, complete fertilizers, urea, and muriate of potash. Aside from that, machinery such as power tillers, multi cultivators, cassava shredders, and cassava spinners will be given to farmers’ organizations.

The demand for corn and cassava in Southern Leyte

SAAD program implementers in Southern Leyte, headed by Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 8, chose corn and cassava as their livelihood interventions due to high demand.

According to SAAD Southern Leyte PC Cabañas, the farmer-beneficiaries will not have a hard time selling their farm produce since a feed mill, which was put up by the provincial government, is needing 1.2 metric tons of cassava and 80 metric tons of corn per day. A processing plant for cassava chips and other delicacies is also on its way to completion.

Besides corn and cassava, SAAD Southern Leyte also implemented rice and swine production projects. The municipalities of St. Bernard, Libagon, San Francisco, and Pintuyan were also covered in the SAAD Program for the year 2018. ###